| Staff Sgt. Kristofer R. Ciraso United States Army KIA 7 December 2006, Iraq |
SIGN GUESTBOOK
Soldier from Bangor killed
By Dawn Gagnon
Monday, December 11, 2006 - Bangor Daily New
A 1999 Bangor High School graduate who was a member of the school’s
Junior ROTC program became the latest Iraq war casualty from Maine late
last week when he was killed by a roadside bomb.
Army Staff Sgt. James Kristofer Ciraso, 26, was killed Thursday while serving in Iraq,
the Department of Defense announced Sunday.
Ciraso, formerly of Bangor and Waltham, Mass., died from injuries he suffered
when an improvised explosive device exploded near his military vehicle in
Baghdad, according to media reports.
Ciraso was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade
Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas, where he was leader of a
unit known as the Black Knights.
The unit recently had undergone special training in Military Operations in
Urbanized Training, or MOUT, according to a unit newsletter.
Ciraso was the second service member from Maine to be killed in less than a week.
Marine Cpl. Dustin J. Libby, 22, of Castle Hill was killed Wednesday in a firefight while manning a
machine gun on top of a building in Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province. Ramadi has seen some of
the bloodiest street battles of the war.
The details of Ciraso’s death remained sketchy Sunday night. Attempts to contact members of his
family were unsuccessful.
A member of the Junior ROTC program for all four of his high school years in Bangor, Ciraso was
accepted into the Maine Army National Guard’s Company B 3rd Battalion while still a junior.
On Sunday, Col. Jackson Kurtzman, who was Ciraso’s Junior ROTC adviser, remembered the slain
soldier as a conscientious and capable cadet.
"He was conscientious and really interested in the military," Kurtzman said Sunday night when
contacted at home.
"He had a very positive attitude and earned merits every week. And he was a leader as far as
setting an example for his peers," he said. "He definitely had a propensity for military service."
In statements issued Sunday, U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins and 2nd District U.S. Rep.
Michael Michaud expressed sadness about Ciraso’s death.
"Kristofer Ciraso’s service to the United States will never be forgotten and his sacrifice in defense
of his nation forever remembered," Snowe said.
"We owe an unpayable debt of gratitude to the brave men and women in uniform like Staff Sergeant
Ciraso, whose courage is an inspiration to us all. My condolences and my prayers are with his
friends and family."
Said Collins: "My heart goes out to the family and loved ones of Staff Sgt. James Kristofer Ciraso. I
join the Bangor community in mourning his passing. His service to our nation was noble and
honorable, and I know that he will be deeply missed. My thoughts and prayers will be with those
who knew him."
In his statement, Michaud said: "I want to extend my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of
Sgt. Ciraso. We honor his life and his ultimate sacrifice. Too many of our best and brightest have
given their lives in Iraq. My thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost loved ones
and with our men and women still in harm’s way."
By Dawn Gagnon
Monday, December 11, 2006 - Bangor Daily New
A 1999 Bangor High School graduate who was a member of the school’s
Junior ROTC program became the latest Iraq war casualty from Maine late
last week when he was killed by a roadside bomb.
Army Staff Sgt. James Kristofer Ciraso, 26, was killed Thursday while serving in Iraq,
the Department of Defense announced Sunday.
Ciraso, formerly of Bangor and Waltham, Mass., died from injuries he suffered
when an improvised explosive device exploded near his military vehicle in
Baghdad, according to media reports.
Ciraso was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade
Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas, where he was leader of a
unit known as the Black Knights.
The unit recently had undergone special training in Military Operations in
Urbanized Training, or MOUT, according to a unit newsletter.
Ciraso was the second service member from Maine to be killed in less than a week.
Marine Cpl. Dustin J. Libby, 22, of Castle Hill was killed Wednesday in a firefight while manning a
machine gun on top of a building in Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province. Ramadi has seen some of
the bloodiest street battles of the war.
The details of Ciraso’s death remained sketchy Sunday night. Attempts to contact members of his
family were unsuccessful.
A member of the Junior ROTC program for all four of his high school years in Bangor, Ciraso was
accepted into the Maine Army National Guard’s Company B 3rd Battalion while still a junior.
On Sunday, Col. Jackson Kurtzman, who was Ciraso’s Junior ROTC adviser, remembered the slain
soldier as a conscientious and capable cadet.
"He was conscientious and really interested in the military," Kurtzman said Sunday night when
contacted at home.
"He had a very positive attitude and earned merits every week. And he was a leader as far as
setting an example for his peers," he said. "He definitely had a propensity for military service."
In statements issued Sunday, U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins and 2nd District U.S. Rep.
Michael Michaud expressed sadness about Ciraso’s death.
"Kristofer Ciraso’s service to the United States will never be forgotten and his sacrifice in defense
of his nation forever remembered," Snowe said.
"We owe an unpayable debt of gratitude to the brave men and women in uniform like Staff Sergeant
Ciraso, whose courage is an inspiration to us all. My condolences and my prayers are with his
friends and family."
Said Collins: "My heart goes out to the family and loved ones of Staff Sgt. James Kristofer Ciraso. I
join the Bangor community in mourning his passing. His service to our nation was noble and
honorable, and I know that he will be deeply missed. My thoughts and prayers will be with those
who knew him."
In his statement, Michaud said: "I want to extend my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of
Sgt. Ciraso. We honor his life and his ultimate sacrifice. Too many of our best and brightest have
given their lives in Iraq. My thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost loved ones
and with our men and women still in harm’s way."
| Tributes October 12, 2011 Deborah Stewart I have already commented on this page that I came across and trying to get in touch with the emails listed but got them both back as no longer active. My intention is to get in touch with his fiancé and get to see some photos of Liberty. Kris was like a son to me instead of an ex son in law. We laughed and cried together and I would love to hold Liberty and tell her how wonderful her daddy was. Could someone or his fiancé' get in touch with me at novictim2010@yahoo.com. Thank you, Deborah Stewart October 9, 2011 Deborah Stewart Knowing Kris was to love him. He was my ex son in law and I could not have loved him more if he were my own son. I miss him very much and am proud of him beyond words. Love you Kris November 24, 2010 Kristal Pennington In Honor Of Kristofer Ciraso We blessed to have Kristopher marry into our family for a short while. He was such a wonderful man and we think of him often. Blessings to his family, especially Liberty June 13, 2010 lois l.russell I AM KRIS MOM AND EVERYTIME ,HOLIDAYS COME AROUND I THINK OF MY SON.CAUSE ROUND EVERY HOLIDAY HE WOULD BE AT THE HOUSE WHEN HE CAN..AROUND XMAS NOW IS VERY HARD ON ME SiNCE HE GOT KILLED IN THAT MONTH,I HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING IN THE CHEERING TIME AND HIS GIRL IS GROWING UP WITH OUT HER DAD ,SHE WAS A DADDY GIRL TOO,BUT SHE DOES KNOW WHO HER DAD IS ,WHERE HE IS AT ..THIS IS THE WAY HIS NAME IS SURPOSE TO BE ; KRISTOFER RAYMOND BARNETT NOT A CIRASO THAT WAS JUST A STEP-DAD THAT WAS IT,PUT MY NAME ON PAPERS SAYING I WAS MARRIED TO HIM ,I WAS NOT..........THAT IS WHAT I WENT TO THE HOS.AS THEN WHEN I CAME OUT ,THE HOS. COULD NOT FIND HIS RECORDS SHOWING THAT HE WAS BORN...SO HERE IS THE STORY ABOUT MY SON {KRISTOFER R.BARNETT}SORRY FOR PEOPLE WHO KNOW PAUL IS A VERY BIG TROUBLE MAKER...OH IS NAME IS NOT JAMES KRISTOFER CIRASO THAT IS VERY WRONG NAME AND THAT IS NOT WHAT I GAVE AT BIRTH .IN THE { } WILL SHOW YOU WHAT HE WAS NAMED ...I MISS HIM VERY BAD ,BEING THE ! ONLY BOY I HAD BESIDES TWO GRLS...HE HAD ALREADY WENT SPEND 14MOS. THEN WENT BACK STAYED TWO/HALFMOS. THEN GOT KILLED IN IRAQ DEC.7,2006 ON PEARL HARBOR DAY.THAT WAS NOT RIGHT FOR THEM TO DO IT THAT WAY WHEN HE HAD BEEN OVER THERE 14 MOS. ALREADY....I SURE DO MISS MY ONLY SON.. FROM HIS MOM;LOIS VERNIE RUSSELL ;LIVES IN TN ;TNGRL10@YAHOO.COM MY EMAIL ADDRESS;PEOPLE ARE WELCOME TO WRITE TO ME .... December 10, 2009 Ryan T. Hills Kris and I were truly Best friends!!! He was more than that he was my brother,,, we grew up together,and we NEVER grew apart. He and I were closer than two peas and a pod. I miss him so much, for the first year I was wrecked. If anyone would like to share anything about him and memories about him please write to regghillsfamily@yahoo.com and his sister Trisha would much appreciate hearing comments about her brother as well, her email address is amonie09@yahoo.com June 26, 2007 Kenneth Huggins In Honor Of Staff Sgt. James Kristofer Ciraso God Bless December 28 2006 From Lynn Gilbert I remember Kristofer always hanging out with Dave Powers and helping the junior class mates in JROTC. He will be missed by all members of JROTC. |
